Escaping the Labyrinth
by Elphaba Rose Wilde
Summary: The labyrinth hasn't been the same for anyone for the past five years, when Sarah defeated the king and left everything in shambles; especially Cecilia, or CeCe as the goblins call her. CeCe's patience is running thin and escape seems the only option.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:**

_Labyrinth_ belongs to Jim Henson, etc. etc. etc.

**Part One**

She yawned and stretched herself out, her foot bopping a goblin on the head, no, his helmet, it made a faint ringing noise, but there was no thwap back by a spidery fingered hand, making it alright. She pushed herself to a sitting position and tilted her head first to the left, then to the right, her spine already starting the cracking noises it took to get it going. Another stretch and a push to her feet, a twist, a bend, more snaps and pops. She sounded older than old Ganny Bog, but it was probably more from being a human in a goblin's world.

She yawned again and shoving her fingers through her hair she found her skull, giving it a scratch as she picked her way out of the barracks area. She couldn't fit on any of the hammocks nor the cots, so it was the floor, with some lumpy straw and a few goblin sized blankets for her. She picked at her shift, it was getting exceptionally ratty again. She would have to see about getting something to patch it over with, with each repair it lost more and more of the original dress shape it had been, and it now dangled just above her knees. Maybe she would get lucky and find something to make it longer, that would be nice.

She picked up her basket and opened the door to the chicken coop. "Hey chickie chickies, chickie chick chick..." she repeated the calls over and over as she worked around the nesting boxes, gently putting a hand under each sleepy-eyed chicken and collecting her eggs. These were the ones it was safe to take eggs from. She couldn't bear breaking an egg and finding a chick in it, she stayed away from the roosters' rounds as much as possible, not to mention the chicks were quite cute.

She slung the basket over her arm, settling it in the crook of her elbow and headed out to the garden area. It was summerish and that meant a chance of vegetables and such to be growing. Despite her best efforts there was only so much she could do, what with her master's mood influencing the place so much. Last week the ground had grown so soggy she'd been inches from storming into his room and telling him to grow up and stop sobbing about whatever it was. Today the weather was rather pleasant, he must have another tot in residence. A blessing and curse, she hoped he was a quiet one, otherwise she and Ganny were going to have their hands full, there just weren't enough girls around the place and the male goblins were just useless when it came to children. It was all fine and dandy when they were laughing and amused by chicken feathers, but one sqwak and it was "Ganny! Ganny! CeCe! CeCe!" And they were faced with amusing a child while trying to keep things together.

CeCe shook her head as she gathered up what she could, she still had to come up with a breakfast for her master, and the old cow was being cranky again. She secretly hoped she wouldn't need the milk today, when she was that fussy it only meant a kick to the head was coming her way. On the upside a kick to the head usually got her an afternoon off and a sweet, maybe even a pat on the arm and a 'There, there.' And all of that was far better than what she got lately, a sneer and a 'Leave it on the table.'

"CeCe! CeCe! Baby cry, cry, cry, cry! Feiz get sleepy one, but he cry lots! King no happy 'bout it!" The little goblin was beside himself. "He not do nice singy to help, just yell. CeCe fix!"

She sighed and handed him her basket. "Wash the carrots and potatoes up for me, I'll see about the baby."

"CeCe nice."

"Yes, CeCe nice." She muttered under her breath. "CeCe fix it, CeCe milk grouchy cow, CeCe clean up king's mess, CeCe cook for all the goblins. CeCe know what she is, a slave, that's what." She muttered under her breath, all because girl babies didn't turn into goblins, at least not easily, Ganny Bog had been a girl once, and she'd turned, but not until she was five, and she'd stopped growing. CeCe was tall...ish, five foot was tall in the goblin world. The king still towered over her, but she towered over the goblins, even more than Ganny Bog.

"Give me the baby." She demanded, her hands out, her brown eyes staring right at the king's hair. She refused to look him in the eye, hair was close enough to be a facsimile of eye contact without having to give in.

"Ahh. Feiz said he would find you to take care of this..." He held the baby out in his gloved hands. CeCe took the baby, he needed to be changed. She rolled her eyes at him. It wasn't like he would do anything, he needed her around here. She could reach things the goblins couldn't, after all. That and his blue eyes reminded her of the past, of his personality. One eye darkened by a dilated pupil, his darkness, and one eye bright and clear, his playful side. She couldn't look into those eyes anymore, not since her life had been ripped from her. Ripped from her by another girl, one who turned her home upside down and never bothered to give so much as a 'by your leave.'

She snarled a bit as she took the child, "Will we have guests for supper?" Her voice was laden with the hatred she felt.

"No, we won't. The crystal worked."

"And the baby?"

"I shall deal with him later. Where is my breakfast?"

She glared at him coolly, from the corner of her eye, as she stalked from the room, settling the tot on her hip. Five years ago that hussy had come in here, stolen the king's heart, and ruined her home. Five years ago, this morning would have gone much differently. "Morning Ganny." She managed to give the hunched old she-goblin a smile.

"There's my Cecilia. Such a good little lass you is." She smiled a crooked toothed grin. Her speech was much better than the other goblins' and thankfully so, otherwise she would have picked up far worse speech habits from her nursemaid. "Just give ole Ganny that babe. I needs to warm my feets anyway."

"Thank you Ganny." She smiled gratefully at her, she was one of her few solaces anymore. One of the few that remembered her real name and still insisted on it. If it weren't for Ganny and Lork she wouldn't remember it at all, and her past might seem like a dream.

"Poor Missy Cecilia. Lork make Feiz leave. He stupid. Try to put carroties right into pot, no peal first." He smiled up at her as well. "Missy Cecilia have specialty day today!"

"Ruin 'prize! Dumb-dumb Lork!" A frying pan came flying from the other side of the kitchen, and it missed Lork, but struck CeCe right in the arm.

"Oowww..." She couldn't help the cry of pain, it hurt like a cow kick. She shook her arm out, she was going to have to deal with it. "I need to go milk the cow." She managed to force out amidst her tears and stumbled toward the leaning shed that the cow called home. Might as well get the kick out of the way as well.

She sat down her stool and the bucket, so far the crotchety old thing was actually showing signs of at least being tolerant. She rubbed her hands together to warm them up a bit and then set to milking. _Today must be special._ She blinked in surprise at the full bucket of milk. Not only was the bucket full, there hadn't been so much as a surly glance. "Thank you..." Before she could even finish thanking the cow, her hind legs lashed out with a frightening speed that was only displayed in a kick, otherwise the cow was a speedy as honey from a jar. CeCe squeaked and dropped her full bucket of milk, sloshing it all over the dusty bits of hay and straw, and herself. She squeezed her eyes shut, it was enough time to try to dodge, and she did. The cow's aim was thrown off, and her hooves landed squarely on CeCe's chest. She gasped and writhed on the ground, trying to suck some measure of air into her lungs, but the wind was knocked clean from her and refused to re-enter.

Something was in the shed with them, it was sending the cranky old grey cow into spasms. Her hooves danced on the ground, and on CeCe, but she couldn't manage to evade them, no matter which way she rolled, there was a hoof to meet her. She finally gave up moving, and tried to shut out the snapping sounds she could hear and the strange animalistic moans. It vaguely occurred to her that the moaning and cries of pain could be coming from her. She closed her eyes, maybe this existence was finally going to be over. She'd never thought it would be a death by cow, but it could certainly be worse, there were far more unpleasant mechanisms in the labyrinth, and that was only the ones she actually knew about. Who knew what lay within the depths of the place, especially considering the horrors that lurked in the light.

"Well, this is a lovely mess." An irritated voice snapped in the shed, sending the cow scurrying off. "I've told you, there is to be no stomping and kicking of Cecilia. Yet you continue to defy me."

She tried to force her eyes open, but only one managed the task, and the vision it offered was blurred and confusing. It looked as if the king himself were in there, but that was just ridiculous. Then again, it would certainly take several goblins to jerk her out of here. She clenched her teeth, she was going to have to get herself out of here, before the delusions got any worse, or the goblins pulled her broken body about. She tried to roll onto her side, but shifting her body in either direction sent whimpers of pain through her. She was at the mercy of this. "Just let death come...quickly..." She forced the prayer of sorts out between quivers of pain.

"There's no need for such melodrama." A silky voice whispered in her ear, sliding effortlessly against the growing velvet of darkness. She let it embrace her, and plunged herself into the comforting darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:**

_Labyrinth_ belongs to Jim Henson, etc. etc. etc.

**Part Two**

CeCe whimpered as she tried to roll over, she closed her eye and opened it again, the other was still swollen shut and refused to open. This wasn't her spot amidst all the goblins, this was a real bed. She tried to roll over again, but it sent a shivering spasm of pain through her entire side. The pain was decidedly real, so that must mean the bed was as well. She hadn't slept in a bed in years, it had been years since she had lived in a world that was built to her size. She closed her non-swollen eye again, even if it hurt, she was going to enjoy this for a little while. It had to be some sort of a delusion, she would come back to reality soon enough, and then it would be a screaming baby and the wails of hungry goblins.

"I see you're alert again, and have learned that moving is not the best of ideas." She forced open her good eye again and tried to find the owner of the voice. It was male, but it was unfamiliar to her. She had expected to awake on a rug in the throne room, a goblin poking at her bruise, and a disdainful sneer from her master. This, this was decidedly the opposite and it thoroughly confused her. "I recommend just laying still. You've too many broken bones to be wiggling about. I couldn't splint all of them."

"Where..." Just choking out that one syllable word sent a wracking spasm of pain through her chest that radiated throughout her body. Tears squeezed from her eyes, freely from one and painfully leaking from the one that was swollen shut.

"Are you? Somewhere safe, I assure you of that. The Goblin King dropped you here."

_That's ridiculous. He would just drop me on that rug for awhile. That's what he usually does._ She opened her mouth in an attempt to protest the statement but all that came out was a muffled groan.

"Missy Cecilia, stay quiet. Best that way." Finally a familiar voice. "Lork here. He watch out. Yup." The goblin dropped his coppery colored face into her line of site. "Nasty cow got it. Snake scared her. King make yummy dinner."

She slowly blinked her good eye, none of that rambling gibberish seemed to even connect to itself, let along make sense inside her head. "Lork...what..." She gritted her teeth as she tried to ignore the spasm that ravaged her ribcage and lungs, she must have broken a rib, but that sent her jaw into agony as well.

"Missy Cecilia stay quiet. No talk. No move. Nasty cow hurt bad. Lork come with to keep safe." The goblin frowned sadly at her, the wispy bits of black hair flopping about on his forehead as he looked her over. "Yah, Lork keep watch. Tell King how doing." His nimble fingers dangled a crystal orb in her range of vision. "Yup. Tell King that Missy Cecilia 'wake now."

She wanted to say something, to ask, the king had not cared for her in the slightest for nearly five years. Ever since that trollop had waltzed into her home and turned it upon its side like a snow globe, she had been second rate; not even good enough to be considered a goblin. The crystal was being brought toward her eye and she did her best to peer into it, but nothing was coming in clearly for her. She finally closed her eye, it was tired of looking at everything.

"Missy Cecilia in pain. Fix it!" Lork wailed at what she could only assume was the owner of the other voice that she had heard.

Something went on her chin and with a painful pressure her mouth was opened and something entered her mouth. It slid along her tongue sending a searing numbness in its wake. The numbness tickled down her throat, raged through her esophagus and by the time it hit her stomach she couldn't keep her eye open nor her wits about her.

She drifted in and out of silvery, foggy mists for what seemed like years. She began to forget what it was like to walk, she assumed walking was little more than just a strange delusion of hers, after all, why would one walk when one could float? She drifted along with the curling tendrils of mist, light and free, if a bit cold. She was always cold, but it must be the damp mist that clung about her. Sometimes the mist tried to clear away, and it was filled with a shivering stabbing of pain; but before it could become too terrible the mist enveloped her again.

Her eyes opened, this time for real, or so she supposed. The mist was gone, her body felt weak and heavy. CeCe tried to pick up her head to look around her, but she couldn't lift it from the pillow. _How am I going to get my work done? The kitchen...bog damn it...the kitchen._ She groaned and tried to get up again, this time, by sheer will power alone she was able to force herself to a sitting position. Beads of sweat formed on her pale forehead and she was panting from the effort of it, but her kitchen was going to be a disaster. She simply knew it, those goblins will have made a complete mess of it. Not that it was what they had intended to do, they just got distracted so easily and often forgot they were actually cooking. She looked around her, at least the castle was still standing, it could be much worse.

The walls were paneled with light colored wood and vibrant tapestries, depicting various birds, were hung about. She didn't remember a room like this in the castle at all. She turned her head toward the window, all she could make out from her position was a pearly white fluff of a cloud and a pristine blue sky. Laying in this bed wasn't going to get her kitchen in order again, nor any of her other chores put to rights again. _You can do this._ She cheered herself on and struggling with the fluffy blanket and soft cotton sheets she managed to detangle her legs. Sweat was forming on her again as her breath came out in ragged pants. She could manage to do this, she had to. _That's it. Just a bit further._ She swung her legs so they dangled from the edge of the bed, but the plush pale gray rug seemed to be moving further away from her. _CeCe, you have to. The mess will only grow larger._

Finally gathering her breath again she pushed herself from the bed, slipping down until her feet touched the floor. Her elbows shook as she pushed herself to be completely standing. Her knees quivered as she struggled to gain her balance, her body felt like there was nothing to it, at all. She looked down at her body, a silky soft cotton nightgown hung all the way to her ankles, it was gloriously long and soft, the sleeves ended in lace that tickled over her hands. It was steadily growing damp with her sweat as her body shivered with the exertion of merely standing. She turned toward the window again, a lush, grassy meadow extended for a great expanse, trimmed by an edging of bushy trees.

She gasped, there was nothing like this outside the castle, one had to be outside the labyrinth itself to find something like this. Where was she? She closed her eyes and opened them again. She would blame that mist for this, having had it clear away to show her strange sights, but in the mist her body had felt light and nonexistent, now it felt peculiarly heavy and wobbly all at once. She slowly turned herself around, pressing her hand against the wall as she struggled to master the task. Her hand left damp prints along the wall, her body quivered with the sheer effort of this normally simple action. She raised her foot, working to take a step toward the door that was dancing before her. It seemed to be drawing further and further from her, but she knew that to be impossible. Doors didn't wiggle about, they were there, or they were not, they stayed firmly rooted to their walls.

Her foot touched the fluff of the rug and her ankle wobbled and rolled underneath her. A small gasp slipped from her as the floor rushed up to greet her. In the space of a single breath she was sprawled on the floor, her limbs little more than a tangled mess, her body quivering from frail weakness. She sniffed in desperation, trying to keep the tears at bay that threatened to fall as she realized that she hadn't the strength to get up from the floor. _What do I do? What do I do?_ Her mind repeated the question in a frantic circle of terror. There was only one option and she knew it to be nearly impossible, she had to get up again. Shaking with weakness and the sheer exertion of it she untangled her limbs and pressed her palms to the floor. A whimper of agony and despair slithered from her chest as she slumped to the floor again. The weakness was steadily being replaced by agony and her body throbbed painfully as she drew in and expelled shaky breaths. She was trapped here on the floor, there was nothing she could do about this. Nothing.

The realization of her helplessness hit her more forcefully than any kick from the cow. "Well, you have certainly gotten yourself into a mess." A voice chuckled at her and two warm hands were gently grasping at her as she was righted and found herself laying on her back, on the floor. She looked up at the ceiling, it was more of the light colored wood. A hunter green bit of material glided across her face and a warm hand moved her arm to a more comfortable position.

"Who...are...you?" She managed to force out between panting and gasping for her breath. A spasm of pain shook her body as she felt herself being lifted.

"Questions, questions. We'll discuss this later, you need to stay in bed." The voice was male, but unfamiliar to her.

"Why am I here?" She ignored the vague request to not ask any more questions.

"To recover. The Goblin King's castle would not be safe for you right now. Your little friends would do you more harm than good."

CeCe forced her heavy eyelids to open again, still trying to get a look at the face that went with the voice. "Now, stop being such a stubborn little creature and let the magic help you sleep. If you can't behave yourself I shall have to sic my sister on you, and you will find her not nearly so understanding."

She continued trying to keep her eyes open, none of this made any sense. Why would she be brought here? The king supposedly had brought her here, perhaps he didn't want to expend his magic to heal her. This was a lot more than a bumped head to deal with, after all. Her eyes flew open sharply, perhaps she was here because he no longer wanted her. It had only been a matter of time, now she was in a strange place and had no home to go back to. "Now, what did I tell you?" The voice gave a little click of impatience as her head was settled on the pillows for her, she hadn't the strength to do it herself.

"You're being too stubborn, I shall have to turn your care over to my sister." Her heart fluttered nervously at his words, why was this something to be so concerning? A shiver of cold worry settled in the pit of her stomach. "I pity you..." The cold fear swallowed her entirely, setting her mind completely off balance. A swirling darkness overtook her senses and she was forced to succumb, she hadn't the strength anymore to fight it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:**

_Labyrinth_ belongs to Jim Henson, etc. etc. etc.

**Part Three**

CeCe blearily opened her eyes, then blinked, realizing that she was finally able to open both of them. She wearily brought a hand to her face, to brush the hair from her forehead. Her fingers brushed at the gossamer bits that were on her forehead, and they slid aside, but she couldn't tuck them behind her ears, her tangled blonde hair should have been able to do that. "Now I shall have to start all over." A smooth voice pouted. "We must have you looking absolutely dashing." A violet-eye sprite appeared before her eyes, her luminescent white hair floating down her shoulders. "Put that hand back. Now."

CeCe opened her mouth to try and speak but a feathery brush was pressed against her lips. "None of that, you'll muss my designs. Darling Jareth shall be stopping by and you must look exquisite." Her hand was taken by silky warm fingers and put back at her side. Ticklish lace danced across her nose as fingers replaced the gossamer bits along her forehead. "Hmmm. More rose petals."

"Titania, she's a living, breathing creature; not one of your paintings."

"Brother, you said I could care for her as I wished, and you know as well as I..."

"Titania! You didn't!" The male voice that sounded familiar from her hazy pain-filled delusions was now rising into a frantic shout.

"Didn't what?" The violet eyes batted innocently, framed in such a girlish face.

"Dress her like a doll and ask him to tea!" His voice peaked into a hesitant question, but it veered dangerously close to an accusatory statement.

"Certainly not." Her voiced dropped to a whisper as she adjusted CeCe's hair. "I invited him to luncheon and dressed you as a nymph." She turned in a flurry of floaty, icing blue fabric. Her dress reminded CeCe of spun sugar, twirled into a cloudy wisps and tinged with fruit juice.

"Wh..." She tried to speak again.

"No!" She was sharply reprimanded. "I told you, no moving until you're seen."

"I'm just a serving girl." CeCe lamented. "I sleep with the goblins, do the cooking, milk the cow, and watch the babies."

"Such a shame. Brother, we must stop it. She's too lovely to do such work. May I have her?"

He sighed tiredly, "And what would you do with her?"

CeCe let out a sigh of resignation, a human in a world of supernaturals was doomed to be their plaything. She was no longer small and cute, she was old and strange, but still a curiosity, something had kept her from turning into a goblin, she assumed it had been the king's favor, and then she was too old to change. Perhaps she was wrong, but who knew, she was a serving girl, nothing more, nothing less; and would probably never know.

"I'm dreadfully bored." The sprite pouted, her lips puckering a bit.

"How could you be bored? You never sit still!"

"And no companions to amuse myself with, long, terrible days..." She sniffed as her words trailed off. "She could be my lady-in-waiting."

"You don't need a lady-in-waiting, you need a governess."

"Darius!"

"Titania!"

"My, my, my. Another sibling argument?" A voice slithered into CeCe's ears and her breath caught in her chest. It was her master, and he would be furious at the state she was in. She shouldn't be looking like this. She squeezed her eyes shut, this wouldn't end well, she knew it. He'd been of a foul temperament since the Labyrinth had been beaten. "And what is this?" A gloved finger traced along her cheek, causing her to flinch and shy from it, her skin still tender.

"Doesn't she look exquisite?" Titania purred and clapped her hands together.

"A bit much, don't you think? She can't even move in all of that."

CeCe opened her eyes again and looked up at her master, her king. "I can...I'm ready to..." She struggled as she was talking, trying to push herself to a sitting position. "Go home." She offered a shaky smile, trying to pull her legs from under the filmy blankets and flowers that surrounded her on the bed. She was aware of six eyes watching her, aghast, as she put her spindly, bedridden, weak legs to the floor and staggered onto them. "I've learned my lesson." She whispered, dropping her gaze to the floor. "Don't throw me into the bog..."

"Cecilia, why would you think you deserve such a thing?"

"The kitchen, the..." Tears were pricking her eyes, her work had to be a complete, unrecoverable disaster by now, or worse, it would be discovered that it could be done without her. If that was the case, she would have no home to run to. There would be nothing for her, nor any way to care for herself, where would she even go? She knew little of the world outside the castle, and even less about the world outside the Labyrinth.

"Cecilia, why haven't you been staying in your room?"

"Master, I was told to get out of it. That it wasn't mine any longer." Her knees quivered under her, hardly able to support her own weight, let alone the additional weight of all this clothing. Her breath caught a bit as the Goblin King himself, wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her back to the bed. She chanced a look in his eyes, the pale blue one was winning, it seemed to sparkle more than the darker eye. Her heart thudded a bit more anxiously as she was helped back to the bed to sit down. This was the king she knew, the one she had grown up with.

"I don't know why you would believe such a thing, or stick with it for so long, but the goblins are cleaning your room up for you and airing your things." He smiled gently at her, a smile she'd not seen in years.

Tears pricked at her eyes and she didn't bother fighting them away. It mattered little, it was probably a dream, in which case no one was really going to see her cry. If it wasn't a dream, then...well, she'd allow herself this one moment of weakness.

"Don't cry." The Goblin King began juggling his crystals, making them spin and dance around his hand. A trick that had always brought laughter to her as a child, but as she wasn't a child anymore it merely managed a quivering smile.

"No tears!" Titania gasped, a handkerchief in her hand. "You'll muss the design."

"Titania, leave her alone. Put her in something comfortable, let her rest. When she's healthy enough, I'll bring her home." The Goblin King smiled gently and turned his attention to her once more. "It hasn't been the same without you."

CeCe stared at him, dumbfounded, and for the first time in five years she looked him straight in the eyes. It took her breath away, the quivering crystal of his light eye combined with the lull of the storm in his dark one. This was the pair of eyes that had seen her through difficult times. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision once more, but the tears fell unchecked. She now knew for certain that she was dreaming. That was exactly what it had to be.

"Hush..." The Goblin King wrapped his arms around her and she actually let him, even though the pit of her stomach screamed that this would not end well, that this had to be a trick. "Please, princess, don't cry."

With those words she lost control, her forgotten pet name, the memory of being Princess Cecilia of the Goblins, and the sobs that she had been holding at bay were at last let loose. Noisy, racking sobs shook her fragile frame, forcing her to gasp for breath, between whimpering cries. She cried for all her resentment, for all the times she'd been kicked by that horrid cow, for all the times she hated her very existence, she cried until she ran out of reasons, but still the tears came. She hardly noticed, apart from the tickle of his feathery hair, that she was being drawn to him, her forehead resting against his neck while her arm was guided around him. A gloved hand gently rested her other hand on his shoulder and without a sound she was suddenly above the bed, one of his arms under her legs and the other around her back. "Don't worry princess. Everything will be better from now on. Goblin promise."

She pulled her head away, long enough to see the ghost of a smile dance upon his lips. When she was younger she had always made him 'goblin promise,' which meant the promise was serious, and must be kept. "Honest...truly...?" She managed to hiccup out amidst her tears.

"Honest, truly. Rest your head, we'll be home in a matter of moments." Her tears finally stopped coming and she hiccupped furiously as her fingers unconsciously began fiddling with his hair. "I promise, no, goblin promise, that you'll wake up in your own bed."

CeCe struggled to keep her eyes open but the quiet humming, in conjunction with the exhaustion brought about by her tears was making it a losing battle. Her damp eyelashes were clumps in her range of vision, darkened by moisture and actually visible. Normally she didn't notice them, unless one was stuck in her eye, but they were fixed in her range of sight as her eyelids drifted halfway between opened and closed. Sleepily she started humming along with the tune she was hearing, but it was getting harder and harder to do so. She got the eerie sensation that she was floating along a tide, fluttering like a butterfly over a field of flowers.

"CeCe back!" Several goblins screeched and the sound echoed in her weary head.

"CeCe! We fixeded up room nicey-nice." A dark haired goblin nodded.

"Thank you Nip." She picked up her head a fraction and tried to smile at him. She hardly recognized her own voice, it sounded so shaky and fragile.

"We take care of CeCe now!" Another goblin voice chimed in, but she didn't have the strength to even shift her head to see who it belonged to.

"Out! All of you out!" The Goblin King's voice screeched against her brain and vibrated through her body due to the proximity of his chest to her, making her feel it more than she heard it.

She shivered and tried to free herself from his grasp. He was getting angry, the dark eye would win and she would pay the price. Her heart thudded rapidly and anxiously, her pulse echoing in her ears. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm..."

"...Cecilia, calm down. I've been terribly unkind to you. I realize that now. Please, trust me when I say things will be different now." Her head was guided onto a pillow and a finger gently trailed across her forehead. "Now rest."

CeCe opened her mouth in an attempt to say something, but all that came out was a sleepy yawn that faded into a velvety darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes:**

_Labyrinth_ belongs to Jim Henson, et. al.

I tried to get this in quickly as Kuroneko388 asked so nicely for a new chapter soon. But, it obviously didn't happen as quickly as I would have liked.

Also, I went through and replaced the content on Chapters 1-3, the only differences should be that I now have a disclaimer at the top and minute typos that were discovered while reading things over again to familiarize myself again.

**Part Four**

CeCe twirled in the garden, she didn't care if it was a childish thing for a girl of seventeen to do. She flopped on the springy grass with a giggle, watching the clouds swirl by in a sea of white and orange. Several goblins were laughing crazily next to her. One of them scrabbled up to sit on her stomach. She quirked a brow at him but didn't say anything, curious to see what he was up to. The goblin flopped down and hugged her tightly.

"So happy Missy CeCe happy! Zag want Missy CeCe stay Princessy of Goblins forever!" Little tears formed on his grubby face and he rubbed his nose on his shirt sleeve.

"Oh...Zag, don't cry." She patted him on the back. "You know that princess is just a pet name, right? Not a title." She didn't want to break his heart, but if all the goblins believed it, she needed to stop it, now.

"No. Missy CeCe Princessy of Goblins!" The cry started and soon it echoed past her playmates toward the Goblin City itself.

Her heart clenched in terror before starting again in a frantic rhythm. "Stop!" She called to them, but it was of little use, once they started a mob, and that was what this was steadily becoming, there was no stopping them. She gasped as a steel ring was dropped onto her head. Her scattered brain recognized that it must be her crown. She reached up to remove it, but her hands were taken by two more goblins and she was being pulled toward the castle. Chants of "Princessy CeCe!" were loudly echoing around her.

"Stop!" she cried out again, more frantic as she realized where they were heading. "You have to stop this! His majesty will not like this!" The door burst open to the throne room and she let out a tiny sigh of relief. She had forgotten that the king was out today, she had time to clean this up before he returned.

CeCe squeaked as she fell right onto the king's throne. Her breath came in short frantic bursts and she struggled against the goblin hands that were holding her there. For the first time in her life she was terrified of the goblins and what consequences their actions could have. She had never been terrified of their actions, she knew them to be mostly harmless and generally good-intentioned creatures, they just occasionally made foolish mistakes. But now, now she was truly afraid of the wrath they all might incur from the king.

She struggled against the goblins that were pulling at her and now sitting on her lap. It was more than she could handle, her heart was threatening to fly right from her chest, and she could scarcely catch her breath. All the while she was struggling for her freedom the goblins were still chanting about their 'Goblin Princessy.' CeCe couldn't help the growing worry about what would happen if her master were to come home during this. She was enjoying a much nicer existence since her accident, King Jareth's light eye was winning the battle and she wasn't the only one enjoying its benefits. The weather in the Labyrinth was pleasurable, and while there had been fits of rain and cloudy weather, they were beneficial, caring for the flora and fauna within the complex realm. This was an existence that she wanted to protect, not just for her, but for the good of her home.

"Stop!" She shrieked it again. "You must stop!" Oddly enough her command worked this time. The goblins crawled from their posts on her lap, and on the arms of the throne, soon all that was left on her lap was her pet chicken, Clucky. She shakily trailed a finger along Clucky's soft feathers, trying to calm herself down. Lork had given her Clucky when she had first fallen from the King's graces, telling her that Clucky would watch out for her. She looked down at the goblins who were quietly studying her. "We must stop this. Kingy will be mad if he sees." CeCe was falling back into her garbled goblin-speak, she had been trying to speak more refined since her visit with the fae, and conversing more often with the king, but it was difficult for her; five years of bad habits were hard to break.

"Kingy call CeCe Princessy!" One of the bolder goblins shouted at her.

"Yes, that's just his name for me. Not real princessy." She reached up and took her 'crown' off. "We can't do this, it will make kingy very mad."

"But want CeCe to be Princessy!" Zag sniffled and pressed his face against her leg.

"That's very nice of you Zag." CeCe smiled sadly at him. "But you know who kingy wants for princessy."

"Not CeCe?" He looked up at her, his eyes wide in sad realization.

"Not CeCe."

"But goblinies was CeCe!" Zag wailed and soon the whole room of goblins joined in a tearful display.

"We love CeCe!" Kip shouted above the tears.

"I love all of you. But we have work to do, we can't be doing this."

"CeCe still wear crowny?" Zag wiped his nose on his soggy sleeve.

She reluctantly nodded. Surely wearing the ring of metal wouldn't anger her master too much. She would explain that it made the goblins happy, and if the goblins were happy, they were less likely to destroy things. He had relented and let her keep Clucky in her room after all, and he only tolerated chickens for their eggs.

She leaned back in the throne, still desperately trying to catch her breath; Zag was still clinging to her leg, but he seemed to be less tearful now. CeCe suddenly realized just how exhausted she truly was, she could hardly keep her eyes open. She had thought that she was fully recovered, but it was proving more and more difficult to find the energy to pluck herself from this so very dangerous seat to be sitting in. If the king were to find her here, and his dark eye was in control, then the results would be disastrous. Just the thought of it made her heart thump a little faster in fear, she could hear her heart thudding in her ears, and it felt too fast, just too fast. She gasped for breath, her body should be recovered by now, why was she so tired? Her mouth opened as she gasped for air, trying to get in enough to satisfy her lungs and steady herself. The more anxious she got about her lack of air, the faster her heart began to race, the two pushing each other on in an insane race.

She wearily rubbed at her eyes, she had to get to her room, if she could just get there, then this mess could simply disappear, and she might be able to finally calm herself. She clutched the arm rests with white-knuckled hands and pushed herself to her feet. The door swung open and she nearly lost her tenuous grip on the throne, she had to fix this, make it look like she had merely been near it, not in it. She managed to take a few careful steps away from the throne, all in an attempt to make it look like none of this was happening. She stared at the doors, nearly terrified of who would be on the other side. Her knees quivered under her and it was all she could do to keep standing at this point, let alone scale the stairs that took her to her room. Lowering her gaze she stared at the floor, and with an air of servitude she started making the steps toward her room. Each step seemed to only take her an inch in distance and last an eternity.

"Cecilia! I just knew you needed your auntie!" A voice shrieked and footsteps pattered toward her, seemingly faster than her heartbeat. "I told Jareth not to leave you alone. For making such a fuss about your health and safety he is utterly careless!"

CeCe's heart started to thud in a panic again. She shouldn't be saying things like that! "I'm fine. Everything is just fine. The goblins got a bit worked up, that's all. They didn't mean it!" Her voice rose into a high pitched wail. If the king found out he'd be furious, she just knew it, and she couldn't bear to see any of her friends hurt.

"Whatever are you talking about, dear? You're probably running a fever, or have overexerted yourself, again. Don't you worry..."

"...Titania! Let the poor girl get a word in. She obviously doesn't remember us from her childhood, so stop calling yourself her auntie." Darius. Darren. Damien? His name was something like that, he was the calm one, she remembered him from when she'd been hurt. Titania was the wild one, always fussing with something. What was she talking about? Auntie? She didn't have an auntie, she hardly had a father, she had a goblin king.

"Help goblin princessy!" Zag whimpered. "Goblinies maked mistake, now she all icky looking."

"A mistake?" The woman tilted her head to the little goblin. "Tell auntie Titania about it."

"We think she real goblin princessy. CeCe say just a name. She scared kingy hurt us now."

CeCe blinked at Zag, she didn't think they'd actually understood what she'd been trying to explain. "It's just a mistake Zag. Don't worry about it. I won't let kingy punish you. It's my fault." She gave him a weak smile and tried to take a step, unfortunately her knee chose that moment to give out, dropping her legs from under her. Before she could actually hit the ground an arm was wound around her waist.

"Easy there. It looks like Titania is right, you're exhausted. It is a good thing we came to check on you." She was grateful to have someone to lean on, she didn't want to admit it, but she needed someone beside the goblins to help her to her room.

"I can walk." She argued weakly, even as she was being picked up.

"I'm sure you can, but I wouldn't be a gentleman if I made you. You wouldn't want to tarnish my name, now would you?" He chuckled softly and CeCe stopped her meek struggling.

"I suppose not." She finally relented.

"Nip show way, bring Clucky." Clucky made a few clucks of impatience, and a squawk of displeasure as she was hastily gathered by the goblin.

"Thank you Nip." The man was smiling, she could hear it in his voice. She found herself thinking it would be nice to just leave with them. Surely they would need someone to do cleaning, cooking, or some sort of work, and then she wouldn't have to worry about the wrath of the Goblin King.

CeCe finally got a good look at her rescuer's face when she was on her bed again. He had soft brown hair, she didn't know if it really was soft, but the color was, and kind emerald eyes. Someone about him made her want to trust him, to know that he was someone that would be patient and compassionate towardothers. "You said something about my childhood." The words slipped from her before she could check them.

"Aye. You were just a tot. Jareth had won you from your runner, and it came time to turn you into a goblin. It didn't work, all it did was make you ill. He brought you to Titania and myself to see if our skills could help you."

She stared at him in shock. "I thought girls..."

"...Didn't become goblins? Oh, they can, they tend to reside in the outskirts, in the more peaceful areas of the Labyrinth. They have little patience for the soldier goblins." He smiled at her. "Let me continue."

CeCe nodded, she was curious to hear the story. She had never heard it this way. Her master's version was very different.

"When you arrived on our doorstep, you were one sick little girl, and for the first time ever, I saw a worried Jareth. He only gets concerned about small things like military invasions." He chuckled and CeCe joined him. The Goblin King was nothing if not guarded about displaying any emotion that could be considered a sign of weakness. "Titania sobbed for weeks after we had to give you back, after all the law states that he is in control of wished away children."

CeCe sighed sadly, "I'm sorry." She felt horrible that she had caused Titania such pain, she may be over-enthusiastic but from what she had seen she was a kind fae and meant well.

"Not your fault. Jareth then proceeded to shut us out of your life, I think he feared Titania would steal you away." He smiled a bit. "Hard to say what his motivations were, but it's not surprising you would forget your Auntie Titania and Uncle Darius." Darius, that was his name. CeCe tried to imprint it in her mind, even as her eyelids were starting to get heavy. She gave her head a little shake, she needed to make it to the end of this story.

He lightly brushed the hair from her face, which made CeCe feel a little uncomfortable. Something about being seen, she didn't like to be seen anymore, she'd rather hide herself away. "I'll make the story short. You should rest. We gave up on seeing you again, then not too long ago, Jareth shows up, you in his arms, worry on his face. You were gravely injured CeCe, a human shouldn't have been able to survive that. There is something special about you."

CeCe yawned. "I'm surrounded by magic, that's what is special."

"I doubt it is merely that." He laughed a bit and pointed at Clucky, who was brooding on CeCe's other pillow. "What is your chicken doing?"

"Brooding." She answered. "Poor Clucky hardly lays eggs anymore, but she is wonderful with the chicks. The goblins bring me eggs and chicks that the mothers cast aside and we put them with Clucky." Her voice swelled with pride. "She's a good chicken."

Clucky gave a few approving cluckings and nestling herself more comfortably settled herself to her task.

"And she does this in your bed?" Darius raised a brow.

"Where else will she do it? Ever since Lork gave her to me she's been my companion." CeCe tried to smile. "Typical pets are hard to come by here."

"Indeed. Rest for now Cecilia. We'll be staying until Jareth returns."

"You don't..." CeCe fell asleep before she could even finish her thought. The intense panic hard worn her out more than she thought possible for emotions to do, perhaps ignoring hers for so long was the reason. She didn't know and was too tired to truly puzzle it out at the moment.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:**

_Labyrinth_ belongs to Jim Henson, et. al.

**Part Five**

CeCe woke up in her room, the shadows on the wall were dim and gloomily blending into the light, it was far later than she remembered, in fact it was now night. _How long have I been asleep?_ She sleepily rubbed her eyes, clearing away the sleep from her vision and she sat up in bed. There was a strange lump in the chair in the corner of her room. She smiled a bit, it was probably a goblin or two. They were probably cold, she reached over and pulled off the extra blanket that had been laid over her. She tiptoed over to the lump in the chair and trying to be as quiet as possible she readied the blanket. She stared in shock as she discovered who the form truly was. It was the Goblin King himself! Collecting herself again, and steadying her nerves, she carefully covered him with the blanket and then slipped herself from the room, not wanting to wake him. She traveled down the familiar halls, her hand trailing along the wall, continuing until she was outside, in the garden. She dropped down onto the stone edge of the central fountain and buried her face in her hands. She was so confused. The king in her room; that was the king she had grown up with. Oh how she missed her king, the one from her childhood, but she was no child, and he was so different now. She knew better. Oh did she know better now, that while this side was so kind and generous his other side was so very cruel.

She turned and looked at her reflection in the water, she looked better when she was clean and her hair regularly combed. Still, she was not the one the king wanted around. He had a specific human in mind and it wasn't her. He was only settling for her, but perhaps it would be enough, enough for her to find a way to live her life, to create some sort of existence. She refused to get completely settled in her rooms again, who knew how long it would be before they were ripped from her again. She would prove useless or disgusting to be around and it would be over.

At least when she slept and worked among the goblins she knew what to expect. She knew that she would be sneered at, that she would need to find her own clothes, to take care of her own needs. Now she was frequently scolded if she tried to continue doing those things, but she feared losing her skills in that regard.

"Hello." A quiet voice purred to her as the owner landed on the fountain edge with a barely perceptible patter of footfalls.

"Hello." She answered back, still not looking back to the owner.

"Lord Darius sent me. He thought perhaps you could use a companion." The voice chuckled deeply, it rumbled through the air, a purring melody. "How did he put it? One that doesn't cluck or leave lice upon your pillow."

CeCe turned and glared at the owner of the voice, the moon had just passed under the clouds so all that she could see was the glowing red eyes. Strangely enough they didn't upset her any, nor concern her, they seemed the most natural thing in the world to be coming from that voice. "Clucky is a very clean creature! And she has stuck with me through the years."

"Chickens do not live forever child."

"And neither do I. I am mortal, I am seventeen, practically an adult. It is time for me to take control of my life." CeCe gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. These were unwise words to utter, the goblin king didn't take kindly to those that threatened his authority. The only one that had defied him, and still found herself within his favor was that hussy. And she had nearly destroyed their world with her utterly thoughtless words, and equally foolish actions.

"Mortal you may be, but you are special. Lord Darius and Lady Titania also wish to tell you, that their home is always open to you. If needed I shall show you the way, at any time, merely call upon me by name and I shall guide you to the safety of their realm." The moon passed through a parting of the clouds and shone down upon the creature to which she had been so easily talking. His rounded ears were perked at her, and his whiskers nearly glowed in the moonlight. He was a feline, but shrunken, she had only seen wild felines in books, and he was lap-sized, which was completely wrong. His fur shone gloriously in the moonlight, a silky white dotted with coal spots. She longed to collect him into her lap and run her fingers through his fur, he looked so soft and friendly. CeCe supposed she should be afraid of a talking feline, but what would be the point? If he was going to hurt her, like the fireies, he would have done so already. So he was at least safe enough to converse with. "Merely call out for me and I shall here you, for I have learned your voice, your scent." He smiled at her, pointed teeth flashing in the moonlight. "Call out for Stavos, for that is my name."

"The offer is very generous, but the Labyrinth is my home. And..."

"...And what child?" He flicked his overly fluffy tail at her, an ear twitching slightly as he waited for an answer.

"I do not wish to upset the goblin king." CeCe's words became rushed as she continued. "The Labyrinth has been so much happier lately, the plants are flourishing, the creatures are able to find the food and shelter they need, and the goblins are not suffering punishments simply to appease his wrath."

"Child, listen to me. Your goblin friends would not want you suffering. They would prefer you happy, not returned to being a slave."

"You have no idea!" CeCe stormed to her feet. "You shall get me in trouble, and worse yet, cause mischief here. Perhaps you should leave." She narrowed her eyes at the feline, no longer finding him adorable in any way.

"You may dismiss me tonight, but I shall be back tomorrow morning. Of course, if you feel any kindness to myself, or Lady Titania and Lord Darius, you will keep our little chat and my powers of speech secret."

"For them, I will. I owe them a great debt."

CeCe stormed into the kitchen, just as she feared, it was a mess. She slipped into a small closet, and pulling down her only surviving old dress, she quickly changed. She was irritated and confused, something that could only be cured by putting this room to rights again. She pushed up the tattered sleeves, and tied her hair back with a scrap of fabric. This was the CeCe she knew how to be, the one that was more familiar to her now. The one she knew she would return to being if the dark eye ever gained control again. She began by pulling all the dishes from the sink and filling it up with sudsy water. While the first load of dishes soaked she set to cleaning up a space to put the clean dishes. The cupboards would probably need cleaning as well.

"CeCe know how fix this." She smiled a bit, something she understood, and the king would likely sleep until morning, she could do something that made sense, something that would erase the strange dream of that feline name Stavos.

The kitchen was looking significantly more put to rights when she felt a presence lurking behind her. "Go back bed. CeCe just not sleepy. Not time be up yet, Nip." She shook her head a bit, that goblin had the worst ability to keep track of time.

"Cecilia Brannaugh!" A stern voice with a lilting accent broke through the quiet sounds of her dish rag slapping against dishes.

CeCe spun around, her dish rag dropping right from her hands. She hardly noticed the splat as it landed on the floor, splashing droplets of dingy soap water on her. "Kingy!" She gasped and dropped to her knees. "CeCe sorry think you Nip!"

"Cecilia Brannaugh!" The voice scolded her again. "Get up off that floor and speak properly. You are not a goblin."

"I...I...I..." Her mouth refused to form words and she clumsily scrambled to her feet as she'd been commanded. The king's eyes were snapping dangerously and his mouth was drawn into a tight line. His dark eye grew luminous as he advanced toward her.

CeCe unconsciously slunk backward, the damp counter around the sink pressing into her back, just above her tailbone, and chilling her with the wetness. "I…I…I…"

"I suggest you find your words." His voice dropped into a low growl as he quickly bridged the gap between them. CeCe pressed her eyes shut, when she was a child this voice frightened her, but then, then she knew the smiles and songs would come again quickly, but after he had been defeated, she learned that only sadness would come of it. She could smell his spicy citrus scent and feel the puff of his breath upon her cheek, but still she did not open her eyes. She didn't want to see what happened next, she didn't want to know about it.

"Well, where are they? Say the right words!" He cackled crazily as his hands closed upon her shoulders. "Come now, goblins are never silent, only silly little girls. So which are you?" She gasped as his grip tightened even more around her, his fingertips pressing harshly into her flesh.

A cry of pain slipped from her lips as the pressure was increased again. Her eyes finally flew open again, her mouth parted in a gasp of agony, and her head lolled back. She found herself wondering how such a hold could cause so much pain. But only his hands were touching her, his fingertips pressing into her flesh so easily it might have been clay. "Say it. Say it! Come Sarah, admit it!"

CeCe shrieked in pain, it wasn't just her collarbone and shoulders that ached, it was every fiber in her body. It tingled from one part to another, prickling and jabbing in hot waves; a never ending sea of needles piercing into her skin, her insides throbbing and quivering like chicken feathers in the wind. He was in that place again. He was there again. The chasm had opened and she had fallen through again. She would pay the price, once more, for another's mistakes, all because she was a human girl in the realm of the goblins. "Please…just kill me." The plea slipped from her lips before she could check it. If she died, who would spare the rest from his wrath?

"Now Sarah, precious, what fun would that be? You dared defy me, now you must pay the price." His dark eye was glowing vibrantly, searing into her skull, obliterating anything else in her range of vision. All she saw was the throbbing light of the slender iris swallowing up and then spiraling around the empty frozen sea of the pupil.

"Master…" CeCe manage to draw out another plea, between racking passages of pain, he was breaking her, she knew it.

"Not good enough!" She flopped like a rag doll, shook about by a naughty dog.

CeCe fought to keep her eyes open, to stay awake, but the darkness was threatening to overtake her, its icy tendrils were gripping at her mind. Yet she fought to free herself of the grip, this darkness terrified her, terrified her to the very inner bits of her being. Her eyelashes were so heavy, she didn't think her eyelids could support them anymore. The lids slowly drew lower and lower, narrowing her range of vision.

"Cecilia! Cecilia!" A kind voice shouted to her, dripping into her ears like a sweet lullaby. "What happened? Who did this to you? Oh princess…" A soft moan of despair crashed around her as a warm presence enveloped her. "My princess. Little Cecilia, what happened? Please tell me."

CeCe forced her eyes open a tiny fraction, an eye wrapped her in friendly light. Crystalline blue seas floated toward her, penning in a tiny pupil of darkness. Feathery tendrils of blonde radiated from the outside, they were no longer snakes threatening to bite her, no, with this eye they were feathers meant to kiss her gently, to take away the pain. It was safe now, she could rest, she let herself float away on the velvety darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes:**

_Labyrinth_ belongs to Jim Henson, et. al.

I apologize for the delay here. I know, absolutely ridiculous, but I received a very kind review that encouraged me to pick this story up again. I had thought that no one was actually reading it, so it had fallen to the wayside as I focused on the insanity of my NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo projects, thinking this little tale wouldn't be missed. So, thanks to **Don'tTrustTheTrees** on Fanficition for pushing me to write this again. I apologize for it being so short, I'm still trying to get back into this story and figure out where I was going with on this.

**Part Six**

CeCe opened her eyes, and then blinked them fiercely, it had been an utterly bizarre dream. She was back in her heavenly soft bed, and wearing a cozy nightgown. She let out a shaky sigh, all the confusion and terror of the dark Goblin King was simply a nightmare, a twisted terror of her past, things were different now. She pushed herself into a sitting position and yawning again, ran her fingers through her hair.

"Morning Clucky." She turned to her faithful chicken, her hand automatically reaching out to stroke her head. CeCe froze mid-action, a strangled cry escaping from her throat, her nightmare wasn't over just yet. It wasn't over by a long shot. Screams shrieked from her as she scrambled away from the sight that leaked across the other side of her bed. Bits of chicken down fluttered among the dust spots in the sunlight. Brownish-crimson splatters colored the pillow, as well as her coverlet; then her eyes finally caught a sight that forced her to violently close them, even though it couldn't erase the sight that would be permanently etched in her mind. She jammed her hands against her eyeballs, trying to erase the image of Clucky's horribly mangled body from her mind.

"What...by the Labyrinth..." The voice barely entered her ears and she didn't even notice someone else was in the room until her frantic rocking was halted and her hands were pulled from her face. "All gone. It's all gone now." Tender, leather gloved fingers stroked her face, "Hush now, hush."

She let the figure embrace her and her shrieks settled into whimpers as her King rocked her back and forth. "Clucky..." Her voice quavered as fresh tears threatened to form.

"When you are ready, perhaps you might like a pony?"

CeCe stared at him in utter shock, and ripped herself away. There was nothing that could replace Clucky. Nothing. "No." The word slipped from her before she could check herself, before she could question the wisdom of denying him, of denying the all powerful Goblin King. Before she could draw a breath the defiance had fallen from her lips.

"We shall discuss it later." The kind voice and smile were far from what she had been expecting, and were more unsettling than any words of violence could ever be. "I'll send Ganny up to help you get cleaned up."

CeCe hid herself, up to her chin, in the bathwater, she didn't want Ganny Bog to see her bruises. She wanted to forget them herself, but there was no hiding the fingerprints that were firmly imprinted on her shoulders, the proof that denied all of it being simply some nightmare.

"Missy Cecilia!" The hairbrush clattered to the floor when Ganny dropped it, her hands pressed to her face in alarm. "Who hurted you like that? Kingy will be angry, yes he will!"

CeCe frantically tried to jerk the neckline of her dress up to hide the bruises, she hadn't been quick enough putting her clothes on. She fell to her knees and tried to soothe her sobbing nursemaid. "It's nothing. Kingy not need to know. I wear scarfy to hide showing bits."

"Missy Cecilia!" Ganny was wailing, her sobs shaking her frail form.

"Please don't cry. Please!" CeCe hugged Ganny tightly. "Everything fine. Everything fine."

"What is all of this?" A voice sighed heavily from the doorway. "All these tears, hair still uncombed, and talking like a goblin again." The King shook his head, the feathered bits of his hair dancing. "At this rate we shall be having breakfast for luncheon."

CeCe ducked her head, her hair thankfully clinging to her shoulders and camouflaging the majority of her fingerprint bruises. "My apologies, your highness." She timidly whispered, her hands tightly clenching her knees as she froze in the kneeling position.

"Ganny, go see to the meal. We shall have to hurry along if Cecilia is to have any nourishment before Titania arrives. And have someone see to clearing out Cecilia's wardrobes, Titania is bringing her seamstresses to help remedy the fact that all of Cecilia's gowns are far too short."

CeCe timidly took the King's hand and stumbled to her feet. She kept her gaze rooted on her feet, terrified to look up and see which eye was winning. Her knees quivered like grass on a windy day as fingers pressed under her chin, forcing her to look upward.

"What has made my princess so timid? Hmmm?" Her heart nearly melted into her toes when she finally looked into his eyes. She could feel her cheeks warming as their eyes locked together. She stared at him, utterly wonderstruck, completely forgetting to shy away, or misdirect her gaze, even as the Goblin King's hand drew near her face. Her breath caught as his fingers slowly trailed along her cheek, to brush her damp hair from her face and then her shoulders.

She was jerked back to the harshness of reality with a deep wince of agony as her body reflexively pulled away from the source of the pain. He couldn't have more than brushed against her black spotted bruises, but it felt as if the injuries were happening all over again.

"Cecilia! Cecelia?" She slowly blinked her eyes as she came breathlessly back to her senses. Everything was a swirl of confusion and chatter around her.

"I'll get her properly settled into her new quarters." A cool hand pressed against her forehead. "I should think some tea and toast should revive her quite nicely."

CeCe blinked and Titania's face came into focus. "A delicate nature, such as hers, needs proper care. Not one of your useless goblins."

"They are **not** useless!" CeCe glared at her. "And I am far from delicate! I'll have you know that I am quite capable of going to Hoggle's cottage, by the gates, and back to the castle, by myself, on foot. That's a good day's trip, without magic, provided the Labyrinth isn't feeling tricksy!"

"Mistress, hush, please." CeCe turned to face the owner of the voice. "Forgive me, but you are growing dreadfully pale. You must try to rest. You've had a very difficult morning."

CeCe was forced to merely nod in resignation and take the offered cup of tea. She studied the woman before her. Her skin was a pleasant shade of golden brown and brilliant green tattoos adorned her face, the feathery tendrils disappearing under her golden hair that was the precisely same shade as her eyes.

"Look at her face!" Titania cooed. "I don't think she's seen a wood elf before."

CeCe felt her cheeks warm, realizing she must have been staring, and directed her gaze to the tea leaf fragments in her cup. Before she could even finish the last sips of her tea, the cup was taken from her.

"And now we must get to work. Titania clapped her hands in delight.

CeCe quickly learned to just sit, or stand as directed and let herself be prodded, poked, and draped with bits of costly fabric. She doubted any of their plans for her wardrobe would actually come into being, but instinctively knew protesting was futile. It was better to not argue, as a mortal in the world of immortals it was always better to not argue. Arguing only brought trouble, it only brought disaster and despair to those around her. No. She had to stay a silent puppet, obedient to their whims.


End file.
